Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carnaval | 2014 | Ray Celestin | N/A |
| 2 | The Axeman’s Jazz / The Axeman | 2014 | Ray Celestin | Buy |
| 3 | Dead Man’s Blues | 2016 | Ray Celestin | Buy |
| 4 | Mafioso | 2016 | Ray Celestin | N/A |
| 5 | Gangsterns klagan | 2019 | Ray Celestin | N/A |
| 6 | The Mobster’s Lament | 2019 | Ray Celestin | Buy |
| 7 | Sunset Swing | 2022 | Ray Celestin | Buy |
The City Blues Quartet by Ray Celestin is a historical crime fiction series that moves through four iconic American cities across the twentieth century. Starting in New Orleans during the jazz age, the books follow a cast of interconnected characters through Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles, with each novel rooted in the music and culture of its setting.
The series begins with The Axeman’s Jazz (also published as The Axeman and as Carnaval in some editions), inspired by the real-life Axeman of New Orleans murders. Each book blends true historical events with fictional crime plots, and the series is best read in publication order to follow the characters as they age and their paths cross over the decades.